Microvessel density and vascular basement membrane immunostaining in tumours of the breast

Abstract

There is a well established correlation between increased breast tumour microvessel density (MVD) and reduced prognosis. The aims of this study were to investigate (1) if MVD is elevated in regions other than 'hotspots' of node positive versus node negative breast tumours, and (2) to quantitate the percentage of vessels without vascular basement membrane (VBM) components in high vascular density (HVD) and average vascular density (AVD) regions of node positive and node negative breast tumours. Serial sections were immunostained for CD31 and double-stained for CD31 and collagen IV (CollIV), laminin (LAM) or heparan sulphate proteoglycan (HSPG). Microvessel counts were obtained from HVD and AV..